Here is the recap of the entire tale, told by me to Murometz in preparation of his entry into chapter 2:

[Murometz] 9:26 pm: I have read some...could read more...what I'm not following is how these BIZARRE characters got together, and what exactly are they doing, etc....[Ancient Gamer] 9:26 pm: It is in the OOC, the first few pages and in the prologue[Murometz] 9:27 pm: where are they going?[Murometz] 9:27 pm: Oh ok...THAT I will read[Ancient Gamer] 9:27 pm: They were mercs in the hire of Marcus El-Keddath. They got ambushed and the prologue was about their flight from the ambushers[Murometz] 9:27 pm: its more or less a grim, low-magic fantasy world yes? or is there more I'm missing?[Murometz] 9:28 pm: so they serve Marcus as mercs..fair enough...so there is n great grand secret that I need to "be in on"?[Ancient Gamer] 9:28 pm: Yes. You are right. There is more, of course, but I have not the time to tell you all that. The world is low magic, but some of the characters have gotten divine tattoos grafted onto their bodies[Ancient Gamer] 9:29 pm: No. In chapter one they realize that Marcus has used them, betrayed them and corrupted their brethren[Murometz] 9:29 pm: yeah about that...these tats are important for game play?[Ancient Gamer] 9:29 pm: *****************Secret info, deleted by AG*********************[Ancient Gamer] 9:30 pm: The tattoos give them enhanced abilities, but also give them really troubling side effects. It is the concept of Newtonic magic, every effect has an opposite effect[Murometz] 9:30 pm: gotcha![Ancient Gamer] 9:30 pm: So while every tattoo has some awe inspiring effects, there are also curses and geases that balance the effect[Murometz] 9:31 pm: fair enough..I like that[Ancient Gamer] 9:31 pm: In chapter 1, on the mountain, the tattoos positive effects are played upon, making the characters seem way more powerful than they really are[Murometz] 9:31 pm: now that line is VERY interesting[Murometz] 9:31 pm: "sem"..nice![Murometz] 9:31 pm: seem^[Murometz] 9:32 pm: ok....what did Marcus hire them to do exactly and what was Marcus doing? fighting back enemies? potecting borders? expanding?[Ancient Gamer] 9:32 pm: Also: The mountain is the source of the tattoos power. Removing themselves from the mountain brings new revelations, and new problems[Ancient Gamer] 9:33 pm: According to the legends and chronicles of Silmaroth (the unified nations of Silmar and Ardamien), the King of Ardamien was in possession of the Ring of Keldon[Ancient Gamer] 9:33 pm: The bloodline of the King was vast, but the true King was the one that the Ring chose as its owner[Murometz] 9:34 pm: ahh...the nitty-gritty..ok...I'll just read..keep typing [Ancient Gamer] 9:34 pm: Now the Careshian Empire threatens and has invaded the nation (read the first post of Chapter 1). Some believe they will try to find the ring to install their own puppet regime in Ardamien.[Ancient Gamer] 9:35 pm: Marcus claimed to be sent by the King to retrieve the long lost ring from the ruined capital of Ur-Keldon[Ancient Gamer] 9:35 pm: And he hired mercs to join him on the expidition[Ancient Gamer] 9:35 pm: (the players)[Ancient Gamer] 9:36 pm: But underway the caravan was ambushed by tattoed mountain tribals known as the Urshenk, claiming to be the kin of the true Ardamien King[Murometz] 9:36 pm: and where did teh PCs get their spiffy tatoos? Urshenk?[Ancient Gamer] 9:37 pm: Marcus fled, the characters fought and nearly died. When they awoke they had been mutilated, devastated by some unseen person (the Keldon witch possessing the witch Sharee)[Ancient Gamer] 9:37 pm: The tattoos were cut from the hide of the God-Thing that was the first protector of the city[Murometz] 9:37 pm: mutilated??!! wow..missed that in forums[Murometz] 9:38 pm: The tattoos were cut from the hide of the God-Thing that was the first protector of the city- WOW!!!!![Ancient Gamer] 9:38 pm: YEah, the centuries old tattoos were sown onto their skin, and Domunsoka even got the God-Things arm grafted onto his body[Ancient Gamer] 9:38 pm: Yup[Murometz] 9:38 pm: thats is beautiful concept/visual man!! tatoos ripped from a god's hide! wow...very nice![Murometz] 9:39 pm: ok last time...WOW![Ancient Gamer] 9:39 pm: Then feverish visions and dreams haunted the players until they awoke on the slopes of the Keldon mountain (present day Mount Keadle)[Murometz] 9:39 pm: cut by whom? who enabled the PCs to ge these tats?[Ancient Gamer] 9:39 pm: They ran into the hills, ascending the mountain[Murometz] 9:40 pm: and that brings us to the present?[Ancient Gamer] 9:40 pm: They do not know, but I have given enough hints to reveal that the witch Sharee did it while possessed by the Keldon witch (revealed later in the game through dialogue and bits of information)[Ancient Gamer] 9:40 pm: They discovered the camp of the remaining mercs high up on the paths of the mountain[Ancient Gamer] 9:41 pm: but the camp had been attacked... By their own mercs, now turned traitors led by Marcus[Murometz] 9:41 pm: so Marcus is unstable? crazy? possessed? or just a bastard[Ancient Gamer] 9:41 pm: These dark mercenaries turned assassins are the very enemy the players have been fighting in this chapter[Ancient Gamer] 9:42 pm: Only EchoMirage knows that[Ancient Gamer] 9:43 pm: So now the characters are closing in on the town square where the Keldon Witch has been stuffed with needles, like some kind of cactus[Murometz] 9:43 pm: do they knwo why yet? I'm guessing no..[Ancient Gamer] 9:43 pm: No[Murometz] 9:44 pm: does Sharee know she was possessed by same witch?[Ancient Gamer] 9:44 pm: They know, or rather Dietrich knows though they all hear her screams and have read it[Murometz] 9:44 pm: 'll be honest...its a tad confusing...but that is what makes it so awesome! multi-layered and complex...can you wait 2 minutes? I gotta go the restroom [Murometz] 9:44 pm: I'm digging this story![Murometz] 9:45 pm: brb[Ancient Gamer] 9:46 pm: Right[Ancient Gamer] 9:47 pm: The game is full of intrigues. Had it not been confusing, I wouldn't have done my job properly.[Ancient Gamer] 9:47 pm: So here is a dilemma:[Ancient Gamer] 9:48 pm: How can ordinary characters, like Roack and Dietrich (and you) co-play with these powerful beings. What fun is there in having no tattoos when the other guys have these KEWL powers?[Ancient Gamer] 9:49 pm: Easy reply: Those so called KEWL tattoos are also a REAL BURDEN. The negative effects of the tattoos, combined with the turns of the story, will render the tattooed characters helpless in certain situations wherein you guys are their only hope.[Ancient Gamer] 9:51 pm: Restrictions will be placed on the tattoed indivduals... Social restrictions (GET AWAY FROM ME FREAK), physical restrictions (curses and geases) and other, yet unexplored restrictions. True, the tattoos offer quite some excitement, but also introduce a real element of roleplaying. These characters need you, and with time your characters will evolve. You will be given unique roles that the tattooed characters cannot assume

I have been gone to the fjords these last 3 days. I kinda hoped for some forum game activity while I was gone, but alas, no.

Some of you wanted to know who knelt in the mater domino scene:Everyone except Roack (no tattoos) and Sharee (not present).

Dietrich is now removed from the game and Hunthar is an NPC.

New Geas:

"Ah'twhan" is the Word of power. The sign of the Mater Domino. Though of Divine blood and bonds you be, the Mater Domino sees all, knows all, rules all.The tattoed God-Things are scions of the Mater Domino, The Keldon Witch.

I love what's been going on, and I apologize for my sparse posting, I'm just having a hard time following everything, especially with trips across state and working a ton of hours. I would love to post right now, but I honestly don't have a clue what to do but stand around the plaza and look dazed. Maybe I missed something that should have clued me into a 'next step', but regardless, I don't know what to do.

If you guys feel at a loss for what you could do, I could come up with examples of what, why and how you can do.

As a matter of fact I think I will. I will describe the following scenarios:

1. How Flare contacts his ancestors for guidance when trouble brews on the horizon.2. How Sharee flirts with a guard to extract information3. How Roack communicates with the Spectres to learn what they know4. How Hans threatens a thug to discover the location of the headquarters of Aman-Kang, otherwise known as Hides-in-Secret.5. How Solstara visit the Oracle of Ontheran in her dreams.6. How Domunsoka uses his "Soul of the Harbinger Bird" tattoo ability to scout the terrain.

TABLE TOP SAMPLES:****************************************************************************************

1. How Flare contacts his ancestors for guidance when trouble brews on the horizon.Intro: The GM sat there, behind his screen and smiling as always. Alec hated it when that bastard wouldn't part with any more information. At a loss for what to do, Alec decided that Flare would use his ritual magic to contact his ancestors.

Alec: "With resolute determination Flare looks around, deciding the unnatural Garden will prove the best location for his ritual. Their situation had proven dire and Flare was at a loss for what to do, so he drew circles in the sand with his spear as he softly began chanting. The words came with some difficulty, it had been so long since he last tried the ritual, but after some time the mantra was chanted with a steady rythm."

Alec: "I am performing the Lucid Dreaming ritual, GM. I will try to bend the magics to my will and contact my ancestors in a waking dream"

GM: [Responds with what happens, already having rolled the dice behind his screen (or computer in our case).]

Intro: The group is trying to gain access to the royal castle, but so far all their efforts have been in vain. Finally EchoMirage comes up with the idea to use Sharee's female attributes to their advantage.

EchoMirage: "Sharee makes her way up the street, taking off her cloak and hood whilst doing so. She casually lets her dress slide off one shoulder, moving distractedly towards a large guard that she has noticed watches her. As she close in on him she seems to lose balance, falling boobs first into the large guard, squeezing her attributes against the stomach of the man"

EchoMirage: "Sharee withdraws slowly, blushing and batters her eyelids. "Sorry, sir, it was not my intention to bump into you like this". She smiles sensually as the guard study her figure with poorly concealed interest"

GM: [Responds with what happens, already having rolled the dice behind his screen (or computer in our case).]

Roack: Roack shakes his head trying to wake from this surreal situation. It is all in vain for he is still at the plaza and after walking among the spectres he looks upon one, a lone child sitting upon his ghostly mother's shoulders, trying to get a glimpse of the tattooed mercenaries.

"Hello child" he quietly says. "Do you know where we are? What are you guys doing here?"

GM:The child looks upon Roack, its eyes seeming to pierce through him as if he was made of air.

"Hello, friend of the chosen" the child replies, its voice distant but audible. [Then it responds to Roacks different questions, based upon a roll made by the GM]

4. How Hans threatens a thug to discover the location of the headquarters of Aman-Kang, otherwise known as Hides-in-Secret.

Hans grapples the filthy thug into the gutter and then puts the blooded edge of his blade against the throat of the weasly man. His gaze is of steel and his teeth are gritted as he nearly scream to the man: "Tell me where I can find Aman-Kang, worm! Tell me now, or I swear you will suffer the fate of your friend!"

The thug sweats heavily and gulps audibly in response to Hans' threat. With a shaking voice he begins to reply: "Aman-Kang cannot... cannot be found unless he wants to be found!" as the thug replied, the stark stench of urin spread through the alley. The man had wet his pants.

"Then I have no further use of you" Hans snarled, ruthlessly slitting his throat.

"Sharee, can you summon his ghost and force answers from it? Perhaps he will serve us better in death, than in life?"

Maggot: Through dreams borne on the wings of a butterfly, Solstara soared above a city of pure gold. "This is Ank-Horath" she whispered, yet her whisper was akin to the boom of thunder.

GM:From the distant horizon came a reply from the shadow of her dream: "Descend child. Descend to the autumn of Ontheran and be granted the audience you request. For only here can your answers be found, though I daresay they will not be to your liking".

Maggot: Like the oaken leaf, she descended, her arms outstretched and wind in her hair. [etc...]

Well... I understand that you're attempting to help us find something to do, but honestly... I'm still lost.I mean, you gave me tips on how to hammer in a nail, but you only gave me the hammer. Did I just miss or forget what the purpose was of ending up in this city?

Okay, I see your point. I have provided you with hints, tips and inside information enough, but I forget that table top and forum gaming are vastly different. With time you forget what I wrote in the last post, and you cannot always go back and read what once stood there.

I understand. I must remind you more. I must be more clear.

I will provide the information you need.

...And yes: It seems like you guys have forgotten much during the last year. I will jolt your memory.

Hey, you are entitled to state your opinion and voice your concerns. The fact that you all post very slowly either means you guys either have too much on your hands, don't like the game or do not understand what is going on.

Additionally I have gotten word from EchoMirage, Alec AND you now that all state that you A) Are confused and B) Dunno what you are going to do. That is MY responsibility.

I now understand that table top gaming and play by forum are nothing alike. It doesn't help that one person has said it all makes sense, when that person is a reader of, and not participating in the game.

This weekend is filled with parties and trips to mountain lodges. I will come back stronger later in the weekend, and hopefully I can answer your questions with some direct information. No more clues and hidden meanings.